Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1887-04-12
Mr.. John Hess.


known citizen, this faithful teacher
and school officer, is dead. After
painful illness of a week or more,
he died on Friday evening last about
7o'clock and was relieved of his great
suffering. He lived the full age al
fotted to mankind, fourscore years,
and no man will be missed more than
he, for he was known by almost every
person in the county. He was man
of great force of character, and moth
ing could make him swerve the least
from the strict line of his duties as
citizen and public officer. His per-
sonal integrity is well known, and
every effort made to cause him to de.
part from the strict letter of the law
in the discharge of his public duties
was spprned-with feelings of great
disapproval. He had several times
been approached to know if he would
consent to serve in important and re-
sponsible public offices in the gift of
political parties, but he declined all
evertures for that purpose, saying
that he was too honest to become
politician. Honesty was exempli-
fed in his whole life, and his example
is, we'll worthy of imitation by ALL
He, was, man of great kindness of
heart and Of tender sensibilities.-
Nothing panied him more than for
any one to impugn his motives and
misconstrue his actions. He was for
a number of years a we'll known land
surveyor, land the County Clerk office
contains many deeds and plats writ
ten end drawn in his familiar hand.
But it is as teacher and county su-
pcrintendent of schools that he is best
known. There is scarcely child of
school age in the county that does not
know and kindly remember Mr.. John
Hess. For nearly half century he
was a prominent teacher in this coun-
ty. Many of the old men in the
county received all their school in
struction from Mr.. Hess, and it always
gave him great pleasure to speak of
his old pupils. At the last teachers
Institute in the county, he spoke very
feelingly of his old pupils of long ago
and of how kind they had always beeu
to him. He continued teaching until
the infirmities of age compelled him
to give up, but the calling seemed to
be a second nature 10 him, and he
never ceased to take the liveliest in
terest in the teaching of children, and
in his visits to the schools of the
county always showed his interest by
asking questions aud amusing the
children by anecdotes and familiar
Illustrations of the subjects of study.
For the past twelve years he has
been County Superintendent of
Schools, an office that he never sought
but was elected to by the almost
unanimous choice OF the people on
account of his peculiar fitness for it.
Its duties he discharged faithfully
and well. He was exceedingly SEN
sitive to giving offense to any one, and
labored hard to perform the varied
duties of his office so as not to give
the least ground of complaint to any
one. Hence, all who came under his
official oversight appreciated his kind
ness and will ever remember the no.
BILE man and efficient superintendent.
His funeral services took place on
Saturday morning last, in the Pres
byterian Church at Kearneysville,a land
were conducted by Rev. DIR. A. c.
Hopkins, assisted by Revs. Charles
Ghisefn and John A. Scott. His re-
mains were taken to Shepherdstown
and laid to rest in Elmwood Cemetery
beside those of his wife, who preceded
him only a few months. The Odd
Fellows escorted his remains to the
grave.